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Write a decision memo to your director with a clear pick

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Saying who it's for
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

Write a short memo to your director, Lena, asking her to approve a scheduling tool. Plain text, under 150 words. Start with the line: Decision needed by Nov 20: approve Tool X or Tool Y. The second line starts with "Recommendation:" and picks one tool. Then give exactly two reasons with the monthly cost for 40 users, and close with the risk of choosing it. Use only the notes.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Missing the ask up front. The AI opens with background. Try: Say: "Line 1 is the decision and the deadline."
  • Wrong or missing math. The AI says 'cheaper' without totals or miscounts. Try: Say: "Show monthly cost for 40 users: $6 x 40 = $240."
  • Trusting a sales promise. The AI treats 'payroll integration next year' as real. Try: Say: "Uncommitted promises are not facts."
  • Markdown. The AI uses bold and bullets. Try: Say: "Plain text only."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part: "each reason one sentence under 20 words."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part instead, for example: "each line under 12 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the reader
  • Fixes the opening lines
  • Asks for two reasons
  • Asks for monthly cost
  • Mentions the risk

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